This invention relates generally to warning lights and more particularly concerns emergency lights mounted on a motor vehicle.
Presently known emergency vehicle light bars possess no satisfactory means for elevating the bar to heights permitting the emergency lights to be seen along sight lines obstructed by vehicles in the vicinity. This problem is of increasing concern with the rising popularity of pick-up trucks, vans, sport utility vehicles and other vehicles having higher than normal roofs.
While a variety of devices has been developed for the elevation of individual light fixtures above the roof level of a motor vehicle, they are generally inadequate for use with modern light bars. The device must be strong enough to dependably support the light bar, yet have a minimum vertical surface area so as not to unduly increase wind resistance. It must be simply and quickly raised and lowered, yet durable and weather proof.
Some of these known devices use telescoping tubes to support a single light fixture at varying heights. Such telescoping arrangements are neither strong enough to support a light bar nor permissive of the minimal elevations desired in the lower nonemergency or transport position. Other such devices use end pivot arrangements which are not of sufficient strength to dependably support a modern light bar and furthermore generally rotate the light fixture from a horizontal to a vertical condition as the pivoting arm of the device rotates from horizontal to vertical.
It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide an emergency vehicle light bar assembly which permits raising and lowering of the emergency light bar in relation to the vehicle surface on which the assembly is mounted. Another object of this invention is to provide an emergency vehicle light bar assembly of sufficient strength to withstand the wind forces exerted on the assembly for any height to which the light bar may be elevated. It is also an object of this invention to provide an emergency vehicle light bar assembly having a minimal lower transport height and a maximal elevated or emergency use height. A further object of this invention is to provide an emergency vehicle light bar assembly which maintains the light bar in the same operational attitude regardless of the height to which it is elevated.